Democracy, Freedoms and Responsibilities: How are they Intertwined? with Tad Mitsui

People who oppose mandatory masking, Covid vaccinations and mandates as a violation of basic human rights and freedoms need to be reminded that the flip side of freedom is responsibility.  The so-called “Freedom Convoy” and their illegal road blockades arguable ignores that principle. This may be their perception of freedom fighting, but reality is, they’re more like hostage takers causing movement restriction as well as financial and mental harm to responsible citizens who have done their part getting vaccinated.   Alberta’s governing party led by Premier Kenney appears reluctant to criticize blockade participants as does many federal opposition MP’s. In fact, some of these elected officials seem to outright support these illegal blockades. Their argument ignores that with freedom comes responsibility. Canadian soldiers fought in wars to support democracy and other freedoms. Thousands lost their lives taking up that responsibility.   While vaccinations do not completely stop the spread of Covid, it’s a very important tool in limiting serious outcomes and hospitalizations. The speaker will argue that a relatively small unruly group of free-spirited men and women ought not to be able to impose “their” idea of freedom on the majority of a country’s population. He will further draw on his experience in South Africa during Apartheid as a human rights and international development activist, where he saw first-hand, the results minority rule can have on society.     Speaker: Tad Mitsui   Tad was born in Japan, did his undergraduate education in Theology in Tokyo and his graduate work in Vancouver and Montreal. He taught at a university in Lesotho, Southern Africa, worked in international development agencies in Geneva, Switzerland, and in Toronto, and was in an administrative position within the United Church bureaucracy in Montreal. Tad is a retired United Church minister.